Our Team

Lafe Wheeler, CPA – President & FounderSenior Wealth Advisor

Pete started the firm in 2006 after a 16-year career at Ashland, Inc., where he led the Fortune 500 Company in the areas of planning and analysis, cost and retail accounting, auditing, and information technology. His entrepreneurial drive along with the valuable experience he gained in corporate accounting led him to start Wheeler Financial Solutions.

Pete received a Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Kentucky in Accounting and Finance. In addition, he has a Master’s of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and has been a Certified Public Accountant for over twenty years.

Being a CPA and licensed financial advisor, Pete is uniquely qualified to utilize his investment and tax planning knowledge to provide a complete financial perspective for both individuals and businesses. Pete believes that a strong relationship built on trust is essential when working with individuals and businesses to achieve their financial goals.

In his free time, Pete enjoys relaxing with family and friends. Time away from the office is usually spent playing golf and traveling.

Shannon WheelerDirector of Client and Staff Relations

Shannon began working for Wheeler Financial in 2007. Before joining the Wheeler team, she worked in patient relations for Saint Joseph Hospital in Lexington. During her 17 years with Saint Joseph, she received numerous awards for Excellence in Service and was recognized repeatedly as one of the top 25 employees based on patient satisfaction.

Shannon is instrumental in the operations of the firm. Understanding and caring for the needs of each client is where you’ll see Shannon at her best, as well as being attentive to the Wheeler Financial Team.

When she’s out of the office, Shannon loves traveling, spending time with friends and family, and she has a passion for design. She completed the build-out of the Wheeler Financial office suite and she has an ongoing presence in the design world in her spare time. Shannon is a Lexington native, resides with her husband, Lafe, of 21 years and is the proud mother to her son Zach and daughter Bailey.

Kelly Reese, EAAccounting Manager

Kelly joined the Wheeler Financial team in 2009 and currently serves as the Accounting Manager. Kelly brings to the firm over 28 years of accounting experience, which provides our clients with her expertise in monthly accounting, bank reconciliations, financial statements, payroll, accounts receivable and payable, client sales tax, and tax season preparations. Her true passion is accounting, always searching for a new challenge. Kelly even completed her Accounting degree while with Wheeler Financial Solutions and is well on her way to achieving her set goal of becoming a CPA.

During her time with Wheeler Financial, she has had a hand in almost every aspect of the organization. Kelly is a major asset to the firm, adding her detailed experience. But where you will see her shine is how she constantly puts both the client’s and the company’s needs first, making our team approach superior with client support.

Kelly and her husband Jeff are Texas natives but have called Lexington home for the last 9 years with their three children. She is an avid reader, finishing at least three books a week. Kelly also enjoys watching sports and cooking, particularly Mexican cuisine.

Alison ClarkeOffice Manager

Alison is currently the Office Manager for Wheeler Financial Solutions and joined our team in 2015. Her primary responsibility is the overall operations and support of the organization and its management team. Alison is a “stickler” for detail and adhering to policies and procedures in order to ensure the security and well-being of the firm and its clients. She is also known for asking questions to identify needs and expectations in a desire to achieve thorough and accurate results.

A native of Mississippi, Alison earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi. She worked at Mississippi Children’s Rehabilitation Center and Cardinal Hill Hospital prior to deciding to focus on rearing her own children.

Giving back to the community is of utmost importance to Alison. She is an active member of her church and volunteers with numerous roles in civic organizations. Outside of the office, you will find Alison spending time with her family, cooking, reading, and being devoted to her teaching role with small children at Bible Study Fellowship.

Lanie PhillipsAssociate Wealth Advisor

Lanie began working for Wheeler Financial in 2016, where she currently serves as an Associate Wealth Advisor. She is a graduate of the University of Louisville where she earned her B.S.B.A in Finance and a minor in Entrepreneurial Studies. Lanie is a licensed financial advisor, who works along side Pete to help clients create, maintain and pursue, their financial goals. In her role, Lanie oversees the setup and maintenance of accounts, as well as provides investment, marketing, and client services support.

Although Lanie is a U of L grad, she is a Danville native and enjoys cheering on the UK Wildcats. She is a Habitat for Humanity Ambassador, where she enjoys giving back to the Lexington community. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and friends, pup, Leo and husband, Josh.

David OsborneDirector of ForensicsAdjunct Professor at University of Kentucky

Dave serves as the Director of Forensics at Wheeler Financial. He seeks to minimize individuals’ and business’s vulnerability by assisting them with fraud prevention, detection, and investigation.

A native of Ironton, Ohio, Dave received a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati and is a Certified Internal Auditor. Dave is currently an Adjunct Professor of Accounting for the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky, teaching Managerial Accounting and Fraud Prevention. Dave started his career at Ashland Inc. in Ashland, Kentucky and worked in Ashland Inc.’s Internal Audit Department for 31 years, the final 11 years as an Audit Director based in Lexington. Dave retired from Ashland in April 2013.

Dave is currently the Audit Committee Chair for the Fayette County Public Schools. He also serves as a board member for the Fayette County Public Schools Budget Committee and the Central Kentucky Institute of Internal Auditors. He is also President and CEO of the Dr. and Mrs. Barney Osborne Scholarship Fund, Inc. and finds great pride in allocating funds to much deserved college bound students.

Outside of the office, Dave is an avid sports fan and golfer. He enjoys traveling to watch the Bengals play and you will find him swinging a club as often as his work and weather permits. He loves to travel and spend time with friends and family.

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Lafe “Pete” Wheeler is a registered representative with the following registrations 66 and 7 and can transact business with clients in Kentucky, Delaware, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas. Lafe “Pete” Wheeler is also an investment adviser agent licensed in Kentucky, Delaware, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas. If you are not a resident of the states noted above, all investment-related information on this site is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation or offer to sell securities or investment advisory services over the internet.

Content may have been created by a Third Party and was not written or created by a HD Vest affiliated advisor and does not represent the views and opinions of H.D. Vest Financial Services® or its subsidiaries. This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. HD Vest is not responsible for and does not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website.

The HD Vest affiliated companies exclusively provide financial products and services,and do not provide or supervise tax or accounting services. Advisors may provide tax, accounting or other services through their independent outside businesses, but these services are separate and apart from HD Vest.